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All I need to know about new age-y Americanized Eastern religions I learned from fortune cookies and 'Confucious says' jokes.

Otherwise, if you are interested in proper Buddhism, Iconodule I believe is the resident expert on Buddhism here. I have read some on Tibetian/Mongolian Buddhism in reading about Baron von Ungern-Sternberg, and the biography on him - The Bloody White Baron, goes pretty in depth into it. It is a lot different from the Strip Mall Buddhism you'll find in these parts. Very interesting folks.

Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.—St. Isaac of Syria

You have several Orthodox Christian parishes within an hour's drive from you. I can't imagine there are Buddhist centers any closer. Get yourself more acquainted with the fullness of Truth first and then I'd be happy to talk comparative religion with you.

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“Steel isn't strong, boy, flesh is stronger! That is strength, boy! That is power! What is steel compared to the hand that wields it? Contemplate this on the tree of woe.” - Elder Thulsa Doom of the Mountain of Power

Mencius said, “Instruction makes use of many techniques. When I do not deign to instruct someone, that too is a form of instruction.”

Hello, I'm taking the time to study the Buddhist religion ... Any tips? thanks.

A good place to start (but not necessarily *end*) is Thich Nhat Hanh, and his Being Peace.

« Last Edit: October 30, 2012, 06:21:43 PM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

What the Buddha Taught, by Walpola RahulaMindfulness in Plain English, and Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness, by Bhante GunaratanaIn the Buddha's Words - an Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon, compiled and edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi

Oh, and also The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva, revised edition and translation by the Padmakara Translation Group.

« Last Edit: October 30, 2012, 08:08:01 PM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

I've read about -Nirvana- as the Ultimate Reality but what about Heaven? Do we go through gradual stages of Heavenly Xperience ...

Is Heaven confused with Sky Dwelling?....

Buddhist "heavens" are more refined, more pleasurable/blissful realms of samsara.

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

Hello, I'm taking the time to study the Buddhist religion ... Any tips? thanks.

Read actual sutras?

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Quote from: Fr. Thomas Hopko, dystopian parable of the prodigal son

...you can imagine so-called healing services of the pigpen. The books that could be written, you know: Life in the Pigpen. How to Cope in the Pigpen. Being Happy in the Pigpen. Surviving in the Pigpen. And then there could be counselling, for people who feel unhappy in the pigpen, to try to get them to come to terms with the pigpen, and to accept the pigpen.

I've read about -Nirvana- as the Ultimate Reality but what about Heaven? Do we go through gradual stages of Heavenly Xperience ...

Is Heaven confused with Sky Dwelling?....

Buddhist "heavens" are more refined, more pleasurable/blissful realms of samsara.

So why leave?

Because inhabiting the heavens (like inhabiting a physical body) has a time-limit. Eventually, the actions that brought you there lose their power, and you are re-born elsewhere (in the physical world, most likely). Only Nirvana-realization is eternal.

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

I've read about -Nirvana- as the Ultimate Reality but what about Heaven? Do we go through gradual stages of Heavenly Xperience ...

Is Heaven confused with Sky Dwelling?....

Buddhist "heavens" are more refined, more pleasurable/blissful realms of samsara.

So why leave?

Because inhabiting the heavens (like inhabiting a physical body) has a time-limit. Eventually, the actions that brought you there lose their power, and you are re-born elsewhere (in the physical world, most likely). Only Nirvana-realization is eternal.

You can't gain positive karma in Heaven?

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Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

I've read about -Nirvana- as the Ultimate Reality but what about Heaven? Do we go through gradual stages of Heavenly Xperience ...

Is Heaven confused with Sky Dwelling?....

Buddhist "heavens" are more refined, more pleasurable/blissful realms of samsara.

So why leave?

Because inhabiting the heavens (like inhabiting a physical body) has a time-limit. Eventually, the actions that brought you there lose their power, and you are re-born elsewhere (in the physical world, most likely). Only Nirvana-realization is eternal.

You can't gain positive karma in Heaven?

Not usually, because the heavenly realms give you everything you want, and you feel content and self-satisfied, thinking "Why should I do anything else? I like it here." Also, everyone else around you is in a similar state, so there's no one less fortunate to help, so you really can't perform positive, selfless actions.

The human world is the best place in which to realize Nirvana, because there is a rough balance of pleasure and pain: enough pleasure to cause you to seek for the pleasure-that-never-ends (Nirvana) and enough pain to keep you discontent with your present situation.

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

I've read about -Nirvana- as the Ultimate Reality but what about Heaven? Do we go through gradual stages of Heavenly Xperience ...

Is Heaven confused with Sky Dwelling?....

Buddhist "heavens" are more refined, more pleasurable/blissful realms of samsara.

So why leave?

Because inhabiting the heavens (like inhabiting a physical body) has a time-limit. Eventually, the actions that brought you there lose their power, and you are re-born elsewhere (in the physical world, most likely). Only Nirvana-realization is eternal.

You can't gain positive karma in Heaven?

Not usually, because the heavenly realms give you everything you want, and you feel content and self-satisfied, thinking "Why should I do anything else? I like it here." Also, everyone else around you is in a similar state, so there's no one less fortunate to help, so you really can't perform positive, selfless actions.

The human world is the best place in which to realize Nirvana, because there is a rough balance of pleasure and pain: enough pleasure to cause you to seek for the pleasure-that-never-ends (Nirvana) and enough pain to keep you discontent with your present situation.

Can you and Iconodule teach a Buddhism seminar please?

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Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

I've read about -Nirvana- as the Ultimate Reality but what about Heaven? Do we go through gradual stages of Heavenly Xperience ...

Is Heaven confused with Sky Dwelling?....

Buddhist "heavens" are more refined, more pleasurable/blissful realms of samsara.

So why leave?

Because inhabiting the heavens (like inhabiting a physical body) has a time-limit. Eventually, the actions that brought you there lose their power, and you are re-born elsewhere (in the physical world, most likely). Only Nirvana-realization is eternal.

You can't gain positive karma in Heaven?

Not usually, because the heavenly realms give you everything you want, and you feel content and self-satisfied, thinking "Why should I do anything else? I like it here." Also, everyone else around you is in a similar state, so there's no one less fortunate to help, so you really can't perform positive, selfless actions.

The human world is the best place in which to realize Nirvana, because there is a rough balance of pleasure and pain: enough pleasure to cause you to seek for the pleasure-that-never-ends (Nirvana) and enough pain to keep you discontent with your present situation.

Can you and Iconodule teach a Buddhism seminar please?

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

I've read about -Nirvana- as the Ultimate Reality but what about Heaven? Do we go through gradual stages of Heavenly Xperience ...

Is Heaven confused with Sky Dwelling?....

Buddhist "heavens" are more refined, more pleasurable/blissful realms of samsara.

So why leave?

Because inhabiting the heavens (like inhabiting a physical body) has a time-limit. Eventually, the actions that brought you there lose their power, and you are re-born elsewhere (in the physical world, most likely). Only Nirvana-realization is eternal.

You can't gain positive karma in Heaven?

Not usually, because the heavenly realms give you everything you want, and you feel content and self-satisfied, thinking "Why should I do anything else? I like it here." Also, everyone else around you is in a similar state, so there's no one less fortunate to help, so you really can't perform positive, selfless actions.

The human world is the best place in which to realize Nirvana, because there is a rough balance of pleasure and pain: enough pleasure to cause you to seek for the pleasure-that-never-ends (Nirvana) and enough pain to keep you discontent with your present situation.

What happens when the entire universe converts to dark matter and there is no physical realm to be bodily reincarnated???

This physical realm is not the only realm. There are multiple levels of spiritual realms that one may take birth in, even if the physical realm becomes un-inhabitable. Eventually, though, the physical realm will become habitable once again.

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

'Enlightenment' can mean anything, really, because it has Hindu, Buddhist, as well as even New Age meanings. Buddhists often speak of "awakening" to the Unborn (Nirvana).

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

'Enlightenment' can mean anything, really, because it has Hindu, Buddhist, as well as even New Age meanings. Buddhists often speak of "awakening" to the Unborn (Nirvana).

How can nirvana be a state of eternal bliss if it is the cessation of the self's existence?

The separate self is your own creation. It's like you're clenching your fingers together to make a fist. Release the fist, open the hand, and you will see what was always true and already present. The cessation of the self is simply the cessation of one's own clinging and grasping (the 'fist').

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

It doesn`t seem to work for me, though i never seriously invested much into investigating it.. What books can you recomand about Buddhism and the path of Buddhism?

A good place to start is Thich Nhat Hanh, and his Being Peace. Most of his books are pretty good.

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

In terms of cultivating calmness, most people would agree that Buddhist practice can work for some/many people, as do other, Christian forms of meditation and cultivation.

Whether Buddhism is a path to the total ending of suffering, and the realization of true joy, people will have different perspectives on that issue.

« Last Edit: November 18, 2012, 05:39:29 PM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.